DEFENCE

Afghanistan

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the cost to the public purse was of the visit of (a) the hon. Member for Bournemouth East, (b) (i) officials and (ii) special advisers of his Department and (c) James Murdoch to Afghanistan between 17 and 21 January 2011; what the purpose of the visit was; and if he will make a statement.

Liam Fox: holding answer 12 September 2011
	Neither the Ministry of Defence nor Her Majesty's Government have organised or paid for such a visit.

Afghanistan: Peacekeeping Operations

Bob Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of Afghan Village Stability Operations; and what support his Department has provided to such operations.

Nick Harvey: holding answer 9 September 2011
	UK forces do not provide direct routine support to Village Stability Operations, nor does the UK assess the overall effectiveness of Village Stability Operations.

Afghanistan: Police

Bob Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of the Afghan Local Police Programme; and what support his Department has provided to this programme.

Nick Harvey: holding answer 9 September 2011
	UK forces, in co-ordination with the Provincial Reconstruction Team, and at the request of the Government of Afghanistan, have supported the establishment of seven Afghan Local Police (ALP) sites within central Helmand. UK support includes assistance with recruitment, training and mentoring.
	We regularly review progress of these sites. The latest review concluded that progress is encouraging, with the capabilities and effectiveness of the ALP seeing steady improvement.

Armed Forces: Domestic Violence

Gemma Doyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what provision he has made to tackle domestic violence in the homes of veterans returning from combat zones.

Andrew Robathan: The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has produced guidance on the handling of cases involving domestic violence for the chain of command and specialist staff. A copy of this guidance (Joint Service Publication 913) is available in the Library of the House. The MOD is represented on the Home Office's Delivery Board for the Government's Action Plan for violence against women and girls, and work is currently being taken forward to raise awareness in the armed forces.
	Decompression is one element of the complete operational stress management package which improves the quality of homecoming by giving personnel the opportunity to rationalise, contextualise and talk through their experiences, as. well as receive welfare briefings and time to unwind.
	Welfare information and help is also available to families, drawing attention to what can be expected when their spouses return. Importantly, it provides signs of stress and behaviours to look for and how to get help if it is needed.

Armoured Fighting Vehicles

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence with reference to his Department's Business Plan 2011-2015, how much has been saved in (a) Resource DEL, (b) Capital DEL, (c) annually managed expenditure and (d) in total from the reduction of heavy artillery armoured vehicles (AS90) by around 35 per cent.

Liam Fox: holding answer 12 September 2011
	Total savings over the period 2011-12 to 2014-15 are expected to be in the region of £2 million, mostly Resource DEL. These savings reflect a reduction in AS90 numbers and track activity.

Armoured Fighting Vehicles

Lee Scott: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Challenger main battle tanks are held in long-term storage in (a) the UK and (b) Germany.

Peter Luff: The number of Challenger 2 main battle tanks held in long-term storage in the UK and Germany is shown in the following table:
	
		
			 Location Number of tanks 
			 United Kingdom 59 
			 Germany 94

Baha Mousa Inquiry

Thomas Docherty: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his oral statement of 8 September 2011, on the Baha Mousa inquiry, whether he is satisfied that his Department has the legal powers necessary to remove service pensions from any serving or former army personnel who are (a) convicted as a result of prosecution arising from Baha Mousa's death and (b) obstruct or fail to co-operate with investigations or prosecutions arising from Baha Mousa's death.

Liam Fox: I am satisfied that in relation to a member or ex-member of the regular Army who is convicted of an offence connected to their service, where I as Secretary of State for Defence am satisfied that the offence was gravely injurious to the defence, security or other interests of the state, the Ministry of Defence has legal powers to withhold benefits in respect of a service pension.
	The relevant provisions are contained in the Armed Forces Pension Scheme 2005 (Part J) and the Armed Forces Pension Scheme .1975 (Part J) under which members and ex-members of the armed forces are entitled to a service pension. Whether any specific conviction connected to service satisfies the conditions must be judged on a case by case basis.
	Convictions connected to service may include ones relating to obstructing an investigation or prosecution. However, if obstructing or failing to co-operate with an investigation or prosecution does not result in charges and a conviction, then the powers to withhold a pension will not be triggered.

Departmental Manpower

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) regular military, (b) Territorial Army and other part-time military and (c) civilian personnel were employed by his Department in (i) total, (ii) Yorkshire and the Humber, (iii) North Yorkshire and (iv) City of York in each year since 1997.

Andrew Robathan: The information requested is listed in the following tables—the symbol n/a denotes that information is not available for these years.
	Total number of service personnel, voluntary reserve and Ministry of Defence (MOD) civilians as at 1 April each year is as follows:
	
		
			 Table 1 
			   Volunteer reservists  
			  Regular service Naval reserves Territorial Army Royal Auxiliary Air Force Civilian 
			 1997 210,820 4,260 n/a 2,020 133,330 
			 1998 210,140 4,440 n/a 2,490 126,290 
			 1999 208,640 4,520 n/a 2,620 123,010 
			 2000 207,610 4,820 n/a 2,740 121,290 
			 2001 205,650 4,830 n/a 2,570 118,170 
			 2002 204,680 4,980 n/a 2,590 110,090 
			 2003 206,910 4,910 n/a 2,580 107,580 
			 2004 207,020 4,480 38,320 2,580 109,050 
			 2005 201,100 4,360 37,260 2,450 108,470 
			 2006 195,850 n/a 38,460 2,300 103,380 
			 2007 190,670 3,680 36,790 2,160 97,690 
			 2008 186,910 3,580 35,020 2,290 89,500 
			 2009 188,600 3,630 35,320 2,580 86,620 
			 2010 191,660 3,590 33,130 2,700 85,850 
			 2011 186,360 3,230 31,420 2,450 83,060 
		
	
	The location details for volunteer reserve forces are not available. The following table lists the total number of service personnel, and MOD civilians, in Yorkshire and the Humber as at 1 April each year since 2001, the earliest date that figures are available:
	
		
			 Table 2 
			  Regular service Civilian 
			 2001 n/a 2,880 
			 2002 13,760 2,840 
			 2003 n/a 3,400 
			 2004 n/a 3,770 
			 2005 13,830 3,790 
			 2006 13,040 3,700 
			 2007 13,790 3,590 
			 2008 13,530 3,560 
			 2009 14,730 3,640 
			 2010 15,230 3,720 
			 2011 15,110 3,570 
		
	
	The location details for volunteer reserve forces are not available. The following table lists the total number of service personnel, and MOD civilians, in North Yorkshire as at 1 April each year since 2002, the earliest date that figures are available:
	
		
			 Table 3 
			  Regular service Civilian 
			 2002 12,000 n/a 
			 2003 n/a n/a 
			 2004 n/a n/a 
			 2005 12,690 n/a 
			 2006 11,880 2,000 
			 2007 12,540 1,980 
			 2008 12,140 1,950 
			 2009 13,310 1,930 
			 2010 13,500 1,960 
			 2011 13,380 1,920 
		
	
	The location details for volunteer reserve forces are not available. The following table lists the total number of service personnel, and MOD civilians, in the city of York as at 1 April each year since 2002, the earliest date that figures are available:
	
		
			 Table 4 
			  Regular service Civilian 
			 2002 640 n/a 
			 2003 n/a n/a 
			 2004 n/a n/a 
			 2005 730 n/a 
			 2006 710 760 
			 2007 800 650 
		
	
	
		
			 2008 840 650 
			 2009 880 680 
			 2010 830 710 
			 2011 780 640

Departmental Manpower

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many people at each (a) rank and (b) grade there are in his Department's Communications Department.

Andrew Robathan: holding answer 15 September 2011
	The Directorate Media and Communication (DMC) is responsible for internal and external communications at the departmental level within the Ministry of Defence (MOD).
	DMC staff fulfil various roles including press officer, public relations, internal communication, defence publishing (news and publications), photography, graphics and some internet services.
	The following table lists by rank and grade the posts in DMC as at 31 March 2011 as well as the number of posts planned to be cut by 1 April 2012.
	
		
			 Rank/grade Posts as at  31 March 2011-10-03 Posts planned to be cut by  1 April 2012 
			 Civilian posts   
			 Administrative Assistant (AA)/E2 grade 1 0 
			 Administrative Officer (AO)/El grade 12 2 
			 Executive Officer (EO)/D grade 14 1 
			 Information Officer (IO)/C2 grade 33 5 
			 Senior Information Officer (SIO)/C1 grade 22 1 
			 Grade 7/B2 grade 13 8 
			 Grade 6/B1 grade 3 0 
			 Senior Civil Service (SCS) 1 2 0 
			 SCS 2 1 0 
			    
			 Military posts   
			 Senior Non Commissioned Officer 5 1 
			 Officer Level (OF) 3 (e.g. Lieutenant Commander Royal Navy (RN)) 13 1 
			 OF4 (e.g. Commander RN) 10 0 
			 OF5 (e.g. Captain RN) 4 0 
			 OF6.(e.g. Commodore RN) 1 0 
		
	
	In addition, the Defence Media and Operations Centre (DMOC) also falls within the line management chain of the Director Media and Communications. There are no cuts to DMOC posts planned for this financial year. DMOC co-ordinates, develops and delivers media training and education across the MOD. It also contains a team which provides media support in operational theatres.
	The following table lists by rank and grade the posts in the DMOC as at 31 March 2011.
	
		
			 Rank/grade Posts as at 31 March 2011 
			 Civilian posts  
			 AA/E2 grade 1 
			 10/C2 grade 1 
			 SIO/C1 grade 1 
			 Grade 7/B2 grade 1 
			   
		
	
	
		
			 Military posts  
			 Junior Non Commissioned Officer 13 
			 Senior Non Commissioned Officer 9 
			 OF2 (e.g. Lieutenant RN) 7 
			 OF3 (e.g. Lieutenant Commander RN) 7 
			 OF4 (e.g. Commander RN) 2 
			 OF5 (e.g. Captain RN) 1

Departmental Procurement

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many contracts issued by (a) his Department and (b) agencies for which he is responsible were awarded to small and medium-sized enterprises in (i) England, (ii) Scotland, (iii) Northern Ireland and (iv) Wales in each of the last three years.

Peter Luff: No authoritative figures are available.
	Information which we do possess relates only to contracts administered through our central system, and the limitations of data quality, particularly in relation to the size of the company and the geographical location of the contract, mean that figures could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	Even if it were possible to produce them, these figures would exclude purchases made through the Government Procurement Card, miscellaneous transactions, and payments for goods and services made under local arrangements. In these cases, neither the location of work, nor whether a supplier is a small and medium size enterprise (SME) is recorded.
	Furthermore, the information would also exclude contracts and payments made to SMEs by the Ministry of Defence (MOD)'s prime contractors through their supply chains, which are extensive and include a high proportion of SMEs.
	However, noting this context, and based on an approximately 10% sample of the circa 6,000 new contracts placed directly by the MOD in 2010-11 across the UK, we estimate that 2,370 have been awarded to English-based SMEs, 50 to those in Scotland, 20 in Northern Ireland, and 60 in Wales. There is no central store of data which would allow the calculation of a separate estimate for agencies.
	Our Equipment, Support and Technology Green Paper recognised the innovation and flexibility that small businesses bring to Defence and Security and sought views on ways to improve their access to contract opportunities. Our response will be set out in a White Paper before the end of the year but we have already established an SME forum to provide small companies and their representative bodies with regular and direct access to Ministers.

Departmental Public Expenditure

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much (a) has been saved and (b) is projected to be saved in each financial year of the spending review period in (i) Resource DEL, (ii) Capital DEL, (iii) annually-managed expenditure and (iv) in total from contract renegotiations with defence industry.

Liam Fox: Progress on commercial expenditure reduction relating to the Strategic Defence and Security Review has included the implementation of nearly 200 commercial saving options presented in the 2011 financial Planning Round. We are expecting the process of contract renegotiation to continue until 2012. Until this is complete, it is not possible to give the figures requested.
	Our focus has been on the contracts and commercial options that will deliver the highest savings in the early years of the spending review period. The Ministry of Defence has already renegotiated around 30 contracts relating to the Nimrod and Harrier programmes.

Departmental Public Expenditure

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much is projected to be saved in (a) Resource DEL, (b) Capital DEL, (c) annually-managed expenditure and (d) in total from implementing changes to service and civilian allowances in each financial year from 2010-11 to 2014-15.

Liam Fox: Savings over the next four years are expected to be:
	
		
			 £ million 
			  2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 
			 Service Allowances Resource DEL (near cash) 100 170 230 250 
			 Civilian Allowances Resource DEL (near cash) 50 50 50 55 
		
	
	These figures are planning assumptions, rounded to the nearest £5 million, and are subject to further work including consultation in the detail with the trade unions for civilian allowances. There are no capital or other DEL savings.
	Operational allowances are not affected by the proposed changes to the level of entitlement.

Departmental Public Expenditure

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence with reference to the his Department's business plan 2011-15, how much is projected to be saved in (a) Resource DEL, (b) Capital DEL, (c) annually-managed expenditure and (d) in total from the reduction of the non-deployable administrative structure of the services in each financial year from 2010-11 to 2014-15.

Liam Fox: Non-front line costs, such as the non-deployable administrative structure of the services, are not routinely calculated. The Ministry of Defence is committed to saving at least £4.3 billion, in activities which have been identified as non-front line, over the spending review period. Progress against this target will be reported in the Department's business plan.

Departmental Public Expenditure

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department expects to save through administrative cost savings in respect of (a) Resource DEL, (b) Capital DEL and (c) AME in each year of the comprehensive spending review period.

Liam Fox: holding answer 13 September 2011
	The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is revising its administrative costs regime upwards to reflect the outcomes of the strategic defence and security review. This work is ongoing. The MOD is committed to saving at least one-third of this new baseline by 2014-15, which will deliver at least £800 million of savings.

Departmental Recruitment

Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department has spent on recruitment advertising for civil service posts since May 2010.

Andrew Robathan: holding answer 9 September 2011
	There has been a freeze on external recruitment to the Ministry of Defence (MOD) since May 2010, other than for business critical posts and posts paid for in full by other parties, for example United States visiting forces and NATO support facilities.
	The amount spent on recruitment advertising since May 2010 is £484,353.01. This does not include expenditure by the Trading Funds and Royal Fleet Auxiliary. A large number of posts are for Service Children's Education to provide teachers overseas but also covers, critical medical posts (including doctors and nurses) as well as a number of senior civil service posts critical to driving forward our reform agenda.
	Posts have been advertised across a range of specialist media. Jobs that are open to external applicants are also advertised on the civil service jobs website.

Departmental Redundancy

Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what the (a) lowest and (b) highest redundancy payment was made to a civil servant in his Department since May 2010;
	(2)  what the largest lump sum redundancy payment was made to a civil servant in his Department since May 2010.

Andrew Robathan: Information on early exit/redundancy compensation packages paid to civil servants under the terms of the Civil Service Compensation Scheme is contained in the Department's Annual Report and Accounts (ARA). The relevant table appears on page 86 of the 2010-11 ARA which can be found on the following website:
	http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/AboutDefence/CorporatePublications/AnnualReports/MODAnnualReports1011/
	A copy of the report is available in the Library of the House.
	The table presents the value of compensation packages in 'cost bands'. During the period April 2010 to March 2011, the lowest values were below £10,000 and the largest single package was valued at between £300,000 and £350,000. The largest package includes ongoing and additional pension costs, not just a redundancy package, as the individual was a senior civil servant taking early retirement.
	Figures for the period April 2011 to March 2012 will be published in next year's ARA.

Departmental Redundancy

Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department has spent on redundancy payments for its civil servants since May 2010.

Andrew Robathan: Although the information requested is not available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost, the Department's annual report and accounts (ARA) includes details on early exit/redundancy compensation packages paid to civil servants under the terms of the Civil Service Compensation Scheme. The relevant table appears on page 86 of the 2010-11 ARA which can be found on the following website:
	www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/AboutDefence/Corporate Publications/AnnualReports
	A copy of the report is available in the Library of the House.
	The table includes the total resource cost of all paid releases made during the period of the accounts—this includes medical retirements as well as voluntary releases and redundancies. For the period April 2010 to March 2012 the total resource cost was £26.33 million.
	It is important to note that this figure does not represent the in-year cost of payments but the capitalised cost and includes ongoing payments where compensation is made in the form of enhanced pensions. This figure therefore represents the full cost of liabilities incurred during the year.
	The equivalent figure for 2009-10 was £53.42 million.

Ex-servicemen

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether armed services personnel receive advice on drug or alcohol use prior to leaving the armed forces.

Andrew Robathan: holding answer 15 September 2011
	All service leavers receive a vulnerability assessment as part of their first line (within unit) resettlement briefing. Where an individual is identified as vulnerable to social exclusion, including early service leavers, they are directed to additional support available via the Career Transition Partnership contract.
	Furthermore, all service leavers receive a discharge information package which contains various leaflets and information, including details of the National Drugs Helpline and the Government-sponsored Drinkline.

Ex-servicemen

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether former armed services personnel routinely receive a resettlement assessment during the first six months after leaving the armed forces.

Andrew Robathan: holding answer 15 September 2011
	It is mandatory for all service leavers to receive a resettlement assessment prior to discharge. Service leavers do not receive a further mandated resettlement assessment during the first six months after leaving but are entitled to access support during that period, which may include a resettlement assessment. For those who have served four or more years, support includes personal one-to-one consultancy advice on career and job finding for up to two years after leaving. For all service leavers, lifetime post-resettlement support is available from the Regular Forces Employment Association (RFEA) and Officers' Association (OA). Furthermore, all service leavers who use the Career Transition Partnership (those having served four or more years) are invited to complete resettlement questionnaires six, 12 and 24 months after leaving, depending on their length of service.

Ex-servicemen

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether armed services personnel routinely undergo a psychological assessment immediately prior to leaving the armed forces.

Andrew Robathan: holding answer 15 September 2011
	Until now, service leavers have not been subject to a routine structured psychological assessment as part of their discharge medical examination. However, in his report on the mental health of the armed forces, "Fighting Fit", the hon. Member for South West Wiltshire (Dr Murrison) recommended that a mental health assessment be included in the discharge medicals. The Defence medical services have recently concluded a three month pilot of an enhanced mental health assessment in four units across the armed forces and are now evaluating the findings. The current intention is to begin rolling out the mental health assessment into discharge protocols later this year.

Ex-servicemen: Radiation Exposure

Chris Williamson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when his Department plans to publish the health audit of nuclear test veterans carried out by Miles and Green Associates.

Andrew Robathan: We hope to be able to publish the Health Needs Audit Report later this year.

Medals

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 19 July 2011, Official Report, column 867W, on medals, for what reason the chairman and secretary are the only members of the Polar Medal Assessment Committee.

Andrew Robathan: Further to the answer I gave on 19 July 2011, Official Report, column 867W, the UK Polar Medal Assessment Committee (UKPMAC) is an independent committee that makes recommendations for the award of the polar medal to Her Majesty the Queen by the Secretary of State for Defence. In addition to the chairman and secretary, who are members of staff at the UK Hydrographic Office, the UKPMAC has an additional eight independent members. All UKPMAC members are experts in polar matters and nine of the 10 members are in their own right holders of the polar medal. The names of the independent members of the UKPMAC are not in the public domain to protect the integrity of the process.

Military Bases

Alistair Darling: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  when the (a) Dreghorn and (b) Redford Barracks will close;
	(2)  which buildings at (a) Dreghorn and (b) Redford Barracks are listed buildings;
	(3)  when he expects the development of a new barracks at the Kirkliston Airfield to begin.

Nick Harvey: It is too early to say precisely how Kirknewton Airfield will be developed or when Dreghorn and Redford Barracks will close. Detailed planning work is being undertaken by the Defence Infrastructure Organisation in conjunction with the Army and Royal Air Force.
	The following buildings at Dreghorn and Redford Barracks are listed: Redford Cavalry Barracks with Officers' Mess, Balaclava House, Guard House Gates, Gatepiers, Sergeants' Mess Former Band Block, Education Block, Former Stables, Stores and other ancillary buildings, Dreghorn Barracks, Guard House, Barrack Block, Band Block and Battalion Headquarters.

RAF Leuchars

Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the effect on the cost effectiveness of Typhoon sorties of proximity to a diversion airfield at (a) RAF Leuchars and (b) RAF Lossiemouth; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Harvey: I refer the right hon. Member to the answer I gave on 5 September 2011, Official Report, columns 84-85W.
	The availability and proximity of diversion airfields was taken into account in the basing review. Both stations are able to use a range of airfields both nearby and further afield, depending on the circumstances.

RAF Leuchars

Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 5 September 2011, Official Report, column 76W, on Air Force: military bases, what estimate he has made of the training value per flying hour of Typhoon (a) currently based at RAF Leuchars and (b) to be based at RAF Lossiemouth from 2014 in relation to (i) air/land integration training areas in the UK, (ii) other existing training areas and (iii) combined training with European partners.

Nick Harvey: The point of origin or destination does not determine the training value of the sortie and this is the same answer regardless of the specific type of aircraft.

RAF Leuchars: European Fighter Aircraft

Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what items of mission-specific Typhoon infrastructure have been installed at RAF Leuchars; and how much each such item cost.

Nick Harvey: The project costs of mission-specific Typhoon infrastructure installed at RAF Leuchars as at 12 September 2011 are detailed in the following table:
	
		
			 Type of infrastructure Total cost (£) 
			 6 Squadron Headquarters Refurbishment 308,000 
			 6 Squadron Hangar Refurbishment 519,000 
			 Ground Support System Annex Refurbishment 41,000 
			 Hardened Aircraft Shelters—Typhoon Quick Reaction Alert Refurbishment 259,000 
			 Emulated Deployable Cockpit Trainer Installation 134,000 
			 Typhoon Propulsion Support Facility 408,000 
			 Survival Equipment New Build 167,000 
			 Typhoon Ejection Seat Store New Build 442,000 
			 Typhoon Availability Service/Logistics Squadron Headquarters Refurbishment 49,000 
			 Note:All figures have been rounded to the nearest £000.

Reserve Forces: Taxation

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many tax-free bounties were awarded to reservists in (a) England, (b) Scotland, (c) Northern Ireland and (d) Wales in each of the last five years.

Andrew Robathan: There are different types of bounty paid to reservists in all three services, and these are paid to entitled individuals who complete the specified annual training requirement.
	The total number of service personnel who have received a bounty payment in the last five financial years is detailed in the following table.
	
		
			 Financial year Number 
			 2007-08(1) 330 
			 2008-09 22,660 
			 2009-10 23,180 
			 2010-11 22,860 
			 2011-12(2) 18,640 
			 (1) The information held for financial year 2007-08 is incomplete due to difficulties associated with the Joint Personnel Administrative (JPA) system. Very few payments were processed using JPA in that year. (2) Up to 15 September 2011. 
		
	
	A breakdown by England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	Information prior to financial year 2007-08 was kept on the single service legacy systems and therefore could be provided only at a disproportionate cost.

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Dogs

Mary Creagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many dog wardens are employed in England and Wales by each local authority.

James Paice: I have been asked to reply.
	The information requested is not held centrally. Collating this information would incur disproportionate cost.

BUSINESS, INNOVATION AND SKILLS

Apprentices: Standards

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment he has made of the robustness of quality assessment measures covering apprenticeships lasting six months or less.

John Hayes: holding answer 2011
	The National Apprenticeship Service (NAS) sets the standards for the delivery of the apprenticeship programme to ensure successful outcomes for individuals and employers and demonstrate good value for money for Government investment.
	The revised statement on the Quality of Apprenticeship Delivery Models, published by NAS in August 2011, gives increased clarity on what is acceptable in terms of the employment status of the apprentice, minimum hours worked, funding of wages and the length of apprenticeship programmes. It also includes a statement that the length of stay for an apprenticeship must be sufficient for the apprentice to have time to embed their understanding of the job role and be competent in applying the skills required.
	Working alongside NAS, the Skills Funding Agency works closely with training providers, colleges and employers to monitor delivery of the apprenticeship programme and ensure standards set by NAS are met. Where apprenticeship provision does not meet the required standards, ultimately funding will be withdrawn.
	As Minister responsible for apprenticeships, I meet regularly with the chief executive and chief operating officer of the National Apprenticeship Service to discuss the quality and delivery of the apprenticeship programme. Our most recent meeting focused on maintaining existing record levels of growth and ensuring a high quality experience for both the employer and the apprentice. At this meeting NAS described their work to ensure that quality standards and requirements for funding were clear and fully understood by the sector.

Higher Education: Finance

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what financial assistance is available to small colleges for the purposes of attaining accreditation by the Quality Assurance Agency to take non-EU students; and if he will make a statement.

John Hayes: holding answer 8 September 2011
	The UK Border Agency has recently revised its educational oversight requirements for colleges wishing to recruit non-EU students. Privately-funded colleges, which are not inspected by Ofsted, are now required to be vetted by either the Quality Assurance Agency (for colleges offering predominately higher education courses) or the Independent Schools Inspectorate (for colleges offering predominately further education courses).
	There is no financial assistance available to privately-funded colleges for this process.

Inward Investment

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent steps his Department has taken to encourage global business to invest in the UK.

Mark Prisk: holding answer 9 September 2011
	Recent steps to ensure the UK retains a strong flow of high value investment projects include:
	the introduction of a more integrated national business model to support inward investment, offering tailored support and a single point of contact for overseas businesses;
	investing heavily in the Research and Development base, despite public spending constraints;
	adopting a genuinely cross-Government approach to our strategic relationship management of key global investors;
	ensuring that the UK's tax regime and planning regulations build investor confidence;
	ensuring our regulatory system is proportionate and encourages growth; and
	encouraging specific infrastructure investment.

Learning and Skills Council: Government Procurement Card

John Glen: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will publish the (a) purchase date, (b) transaction amount, (c) supplier and (d) level 3 or enhanced transaction entry of each individual transaction undertaken by the Learning and Skills Council using the Government Procurement Card in (i) 2008-09 and (ii) 2009-10.

John Hayes: holding answer 15 September 2011
	This Government are committed to transparency and we believe the information regarding Government Procurement Cards (GPC) for this financial year is the most relevant.
	The Skills Funding Agency will be publishing GPC transactions for this financial year. The information for April to June will be published on the agency's website before the end of September. In October the agency will publish July's transaction data and each month thereafter updated information will be made available.
	The information supplied will give the description of the type of expenditure as used in the agency's accounting system.
	The cost required to obtain, contextualise and report data for central Government Departments and their agencies from the last three years would exceed the cost limits of a freedom of information request or a parliamentary question.

TRANSPORT

Aviation

Kwasi Kwarteng: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent discussions he has had on improving the regulation of aviation.

Theresa Villiers: The Government are currently undertaking a review of the existing stock of regulation with a view to removing over-burdensome regulatory legislation.
	As part of this process, next year the public and businesses will be invited to put forward ideas for regulations in the aviation sector that might be amended or revoked so as to reduce their burden on the industry or to the public.

Aviation: EU Emissions Trading Scheme

Daniel Poulter: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate his Department has made of the potential additional costs to passengers of the inclusion of aviation in the EU Emissions Trading System.

Theresa Villiers: The impact assessment for ‘The Aviation Greenhouse Gas Emissions Trading Scheme Regulations 2010’ estimated that the inclusion of aviation in the EU ETS will increase average UK air fares by approximately 6% to 7% in the period between 2012 and 2020. This analysis is based on the assumption that airlines will pass on the additional costs of emissions trading to passengers. However, it was noted that there is significant uncertainty over the precise impact on all types of air fares.

Aviation: Exhaust Emissions

Daniel Poulter: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what studies his Department has undertaken into the effects on human health of emissions from commercial aeroplanes.

Theresa Villiers: While the Department for Transport has undertaken no work specifically into the impact of emissions on human health, it has funded wider research into aviation emissions and air quality. The Government take the health impacts of air pollution seriously and rely on expert groups such as the Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollution to advise on these impacts.

Aviation: Working Hours

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent discussions he has had with the Civil Aviation Authority on the Notice of Proposed Amendment on Flight Time Limitations.

Henry Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent discussions he has had with the Civil Aviation Authority on the Notice of Proposed Amendment on Flight Time Limitations.

Theresa Villiers: My officials have regular discussions with the Civil Aviation Authority about the development of European requirements on aviation safety including those on flight time limitations.

Aviation: Working Hours

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent discussions his Department has had with the US Federal Aviation Administration on the issue of pilot fatigue.

Henry Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent discussions his Department has had with the US Federal Aviation Administration on pilot fatigue.

Theresa Villiers: At this stage in the development of the European requirements, neither the Department nor the Civil Aviation Authority has had any formal discussions with the Federal Aviation Administration on this subject.

Aviation: Working Hours

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the role of his Department is in establishing new flight time limitations for pilots; and if he will make a statement.

Theresa Villiers: The responsibility for establishing new requirements on flight time limitations for pilots rests with the European Commission, assisted by the European Aviation Safety Agency. The Department, taking account of advice from the Civil Aviation Authority, will put forward the UK's views on the proposed requirements. Ministers will determine how the UK will vote when a legislative proposal is made.

Aviation: Working Hours

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects new European flight time limitations for pilots to come into force.

Henry Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects European-wide flight time limitations for pilots to enter into force.

Theresa Villiers: We expect the Commission Regulation giving effect to proposed requirements on flight and duty time limitations to come into force in the autumn of 2013. We expect that airlines will be given an additional period to transition to the new requirements.

Bus Services: Concessions

Brandon Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether the Government plans to bring forward legislative proposals to permit the use of concessionary bus passes on community transport services.

Norman Baker: Some sectors of community transport, such as services provided under section 22 permits, are already eligible local bus services for the purposes of statutory concessionary travel, if they are sufficiently accessible to the public. Local authorities are also able to offer concessions on any form of community transport on a discretionary basis. There are no proposals to extend the scope of the mandatory bus travel concession further as this would have significant cost and operational implications.

Bus Services: Concessions

Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment has been made of the effects of the withdrawal of the coach concessionary travel scheme on (a) passenger numbers and (b) coach services.

Norman Baker: holding answer 7 September 2011
	Following the 2010 spending review announcement, National Express said they were already planning for the removal of the coach concessionary fares scheme in October 2011 and would announce new products aimed at the over 60s and disabled travellers in due course. National Express said that they believed the financial impact of the scheme's removal was manageable and would be mitigated by their own plans.
	A regulatory impact assessment relating to the ending of the BSOG coach concession has been drafted and submitted to the Reducing Regulation Committee for clearance. The impact assessment will be published on the DFT website, and a copy will be placed in the Library of the House, when it is available.

Bus Services: Concessions

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the effect on the (a) number of coach services available and (b) the cost of coach fares of withdrawal of the coach concessionary travel scheme.

Norman Baker: holding answer 7 September 2011
	Following the 2010 spending review announcement, National Express said they were already planning for the removal of the coach concessionary fares scheme in October 2011 and would announce new products aimed at the over 60s and disabled travellers in due course. National Express said that they believed the financial impact of the scheme's removal was manageable and would be mitigated by their own plans.
	A regulatory impact assessment relating to the ending of the BSOG coach concession has been drafted and submitted to the Reducing Regulation Committee for clearance. The impact assessment will be published on the DFT website, and a copy will be placed in the Library of the House, when it is available.

Coaches: Older People

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent discussions he has had with coach operating companies on the future of coach services for elderly people; and if he will make a statement.

Norman Baker: holding answer 15 September 2011
	The Department has corresponded with coach operators who will be affected by the withdrawal of the Bus Service Operators Grant coach concession. Department for Transport officials have also held discussions with National Express—one of the operators affected by the phasing out of the concession.
	The funding changes were announced as part of the 2010 spending review.

Departmental Manpower

John Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many people have been (a) recruited and (b) made redundant from (i) his Department and (ii) each non-departmental body for which he is responsible since May 2010.

Norman Baker: The following table shows the number of people recruited by the Department for Transport, its non-departmental public bodies and seven Executive agencies since May 2010, and the number of departures under the terms of the Civil Service Compensation Scheme (CSCS).
	
		
			  Number of people recruited Number of departures under CSCS 
			 Department for Transport (excluding agencies) 20 270 
			 Agencies and non-departmental public bodies (1)352 (2)285 
			 (1) Includes frontline posts, eg driving instructors. (2) 80 compulsory redundancies in non-departmental public bodies. 
		
	
	Except as indicated, all departures were on a voluntary basis.

Driving: Mobile Phones

Jason McCartney: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps his Department is taking to deter drivers from using mobile phones while driving.

Michael Penning: The Department increased the penalties for drivers using a mobile phone in 2007. More recently in the Government's Strategic Framework for Road Safety (May 2011), we propose to increase the fine levels for road traffic fixed penalty notices, including mobile phones offences, as a means of deterring drivers from using their mobile phones whilst driving, and to bring this in line with other fixed penalties.
	The police continue to enforce mobile phone offences—in 2009, 126,000 fixed penalty notices were issued for the offence, a rise of 8% from the previous year.
	The Department's observational survey in 2009 gives a national perspective and showed that 1.4% of car drivers were using hand-held mobile phones. This is a 17% reduction since the penalties were raised.
	We remain committed to ensuring that all regulations are effective.

Electric Vehicles

Jamie Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many electric vehicles he estimates that there will be in the UK vehicle parc by 2020.

Norman Baker: Electric vehicles, along with other ultra-low emission vehicles, play an important role in the decarbonisation of UK road transport. The rate at which both the electric and other ultra-low emission vehicle market develops will be determined by a range of factors, such as consumer acceptance and oil prices, which are difficult to predict. Independent forecasts suggest that hundreds of thousands of ultra-low emission vehicles could be on the road in the period running up to 2020.
	The Government have made over £400 million available to support the research, development, demonstration and use of ultra-low emission vehicles over the life of this Parliament and are committed to developing the early market for these vehicles.

Electric Vehicles

Kwasi Kwarteng: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent progress he has made in implementing the Plugged In Places programme.

Norman Baker: All eight Plugged-In Places projects are now up and running. The programme has more than trebled the number of recharging points in the UK. Over 4 million (15%) of drivers in Great Britain now live in local authority areas that have PIP-funded publicly accessible charging infrastructure.
	Projects have made a number of major breakthroughs including installing the UK's first publicly accessible rapid chargers that can recharge vehicles in as little as 30 minutes. A number of the projects have also recently launched their membership schemes eg 'Source London', 'Source East' and the Northern Ireland scheme.
	In addition, thanks in part to market priming through the Plugged-In Places and a number of enabling steps set out in our June Infrastructure Strategy, a number of UK enterprises have recently announced plans to roll out additional infrastructure at sites across the country (eg Charge Master; and Ecotricity in Conjunction with Welcome Break).
	We are putting in place systems to make the network easy to navigate and easy to access as set out in the strategy document published in June 2011.

Heathrow Airport

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has for the future of the annual air traffic movements limit at Heathrow Airport.

Theresa Villiers: The current 480,000 air transport movement cap was set as a condition of the Terminal 5 planning consent in 2001. To change or remove the cap would require a planning application. The Government recently confirmed their intention to retain the cap in the context of their announcement on the conclusions of the South East Airports Taskforce.

High Speed Two

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his policy is on a direct link to Heathrow airport as part of the proposed High Speed 2 scheme.

Philip Hammond: The Government published “High Speed Rail: Investing in Britain's Future” in February 2011. That set out proposals for a high speed rail network in a Y shape from London to Birmingham, Leeds and Manchester with a direct connection to Heathrow airport and a link to HS1. The Government believe that there is strong strategic case for such a network as it would boost economic growth, spread prosperity and provide an attractive alternative to domestic aviation. Following the end of consultation on 29 July, we are considering the responses to consultation and expect to announce a decision on the way forward later in the year.

Motor Vehicles: Carbon Emissions

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport with reference to his Department's document, Road Vehicle Emission Factors 2009, what the (a) laden and (b) unladen full emissions profile per mile is of (i) diesel and (ii) petrol (A) 38 tonne heavy goods vehicles (HGV), (B) 44 tonne HGVs, (C) transit type vans and (D) family saloons.

Norman Baker: The Road Vehicle Emissions Factors 2009 research project provided recommendations on improving methodologies and some of the input data required to model national air pollutant emissions from road transport. To estimate UK average emissions profiles for different vehicle types requires these recommendations to be combined with UK fleet composition and total traffic activity data.
	The following figures for oxides of nitrogen (NOx), particulate matter (PM10), carbon monoxide (CO), non-methane volatile organic compounds (NMVOC) and methane (CH4) emissions have been generated by the National Atmospheric Emissions Inventory, which AEA Technology produce under contract to DEFRA. This combines the 2009 emissions factors with national fleet and traffic data to produce estimates of total UK emissions. The CO2 emissions figures are derived from DEFRA's greenhouse gas reporting guidelines, these use the 2009 emissions factors (along with fleet and traffic data) plus improved data on HGV CO2 emissions from DFT freight surveys.
	
		
			 Gram  s/mile 
			       CO  2 
			 Vehicle NOx PM  10 CO NMVOC CH  4 Laden Unladen 
			 38T HGV 11.2 0.178 2.05 0.286 0.069 1,860 1,110 
			 44T HGV 12.5 0.195 1.31 0.303 0.069 2,230 1,340 
			 Petrol transit size van 1.14 0.005 16.0 1.36 0.036 413 
			 Diesel transit size van 1.37 0.122 0.852 0.139 0.004 432 
			 Petrol saloon 0.344 0.003 4.48 0.343 0.016 340 
			 Diesel saloon 0.712 0.065 0.13 0.05 0.002 288 
		
	
	The 2009 emissions factors reflect average vehicle loading and do not provide corrections to adjust for different vehicle loading states. However, the greenhouse gas reporting guidelines do provide data for different loading states for HGVs (figures for other vehicle types reflect emissions at average loading).
	It should be noted that some of the vehicle categories are not necessarily directly compatible, e.g. petrol vans appear to have lower CO2 emissions than diesel vans suggesting that the petrol vans modelled are on average smaller and lighter than the average diesel vans modelled.

Motor Vehicles: Petrol

Robert Halfon: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what guidance his Department issues on and what other support it provides for the development of vehicles capable of replacing petrol and diesel fleet vehicles.

Norman Baker: The Government have made provision of over £400 million for measures to promote the uptake of ultra-low carbon vehicle technologies. These measures include support for consumer incentives, development of recharging infrastructure, a programme of research development and demonstration work and the Green Bus Fund. Further details of these programmes can be found at the Office for Low Emission Vehicles website:
	http://www.dft.gov.uk/topics/sustainable/olev

Network Rail

Robert Buckland: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he has made a recent assessment of the requirement for a consumer champion for users of the rail network; and if he will make a statement.

Theresa Villiers: The Department for Transport and the Office of Rail Regulation are considering the options for achieving an increased role for the regulator in protecting passenger and public interests. We expect proposals to be published later this year.
	The Department for Transport also considered the future of Passenger Focus as part of the Public Bodies Review and concluded that it should be retained but with substantial reforms to reduce its cost to taxpayers while maintaining its core role as the statutory independent complaints body and passenger champion.

Network Rail

Kwasi Kwarteng: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent discussions he has had on steps to increase the commercial revenue earned by Network Rail.

Theresa Villiers: It is a priority for the Government to improve the value for money the railway offers for taxpayers and fare payers. To that end, we continue to encourage Network Rail to explore and exploit opportunities to maximise its commercial revenue. It is ultimately however, for Network Rail to determine the best response, within the regulatory and incentives framework established for the company by the independent Office of Rail Regulation.

Network Rail: Compensation

Malcolm Wicks: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received on the proportion of compensation paid by Network Rail to train operating companies that reaches rail passengers entitled to compensation under passenger charters or the Delay/Repay scheme; and if he will make a statement.

Norman Baker: Ministers have received representations on this issue from another Member. Compensation arrangements between Network Rail and Train Operating Companies are governed by the track access agreements between the parties. Compensation payments relate to the overall level of performance over a period, and depend on the extent to which delays during that period were caused by Network Rail or train operators. The regime for compensating passengers depends instead on whether delays on a particular service exceeded the relevant threshold, and does not depend on the cause of that delay. For this reason there is no direct correlation between the two sets of compensation payments.

Parking: Complaints

Shaun Woodward: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether his Department has considered developing a non-statutory ombudsman-type complaint system for parking on private land.

Norman Baker: We fully support the establishment by the parking sector of an independent, sector-funded challenge body for parking on private land and are discussing a timetable for the establishment of such a body with the British Parking Association. We have made clear that we will hot commence the keeper liability provisions for vehicles on private land in the Protection of Freedoms Bill until an independent challenge body is in place.

Public Transport: Concessions

Brandon Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he plans to bring forward proposals to amend the legislation governing the provision of concessionary travel passes by local authorities.

Norman Baker: There are no proposals to amend the legislation governing the provision of concessionary travel passes. In the spending review last autumn the Government stated that they will protect the statutory entitlement for concessionary bus travel, ensuring that older people can maintain greater freedom and independence.

Public Transport: Concessions

Brandon Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate his Department has made of the number of people who applied for and received a concessionary travel pass but never used it in the latest period for which figures are available.

Norman Baker: The Department knows the proportion of eligible people who hold a concessionary pass—see the published National Travel Survey table NTS0619 at:
	http://www.dft.gov.uk/statistics/tables/nts0619/
	However we do not know the number of people who have never used their pass.

Public Transport: Concessions

Brandon Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the likely effects of altering concessionary fare legislation to diversify funding options available to local transport authorities.

Norman Baker: The Department for Transport has no proposals to alter legislation regarding funding for the statutory travel concession. From 1 April 2011, funding is provided by the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) to local transport authorities through Formula Grant. Local authorities retain the discretion to enhance their concessionary travel schemes, if they choose to do so, funded locally from their own resources.

Railways: Fares

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment his Department has made of the environmental impact of the proposed increases in rail fares.

Theresa Villiers: I refer my hon. Friend to my answer of 10 November 2010, Official Report, column 334W.

Railways: Fares

Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent representations he has received on increases in rail fares.

Theresa Villiers: holding answer 15 September 2011
	The Department for Transport regularly receives correspondence on rail fares including letters regarding the increase in regulated fares from January 2012.

Railways: Somerset

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will take steps to secure the future of the ticket offices at (a) Yeovil Pen Mill, (b) Crewkerne and (c) Yeovil Junction rail station; and if he will make a statement.

Theresa Villiers: It is for South West Trains and First Great Western to manage the operation of these ticket offices. There are existing industry processes in place which the operators must adhere to if they wish to alter current opening times.
	Sir Roy McNulty's rail value for money study recommended that ticket office staffing levels be considered as a measure which would deliver savings. The Department is currently considering Sir Roy's report, but no decisions have been made.

Railways: Tickets

Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what decisions his Department has made on the recommendations in the McNulty report on closure of 675 railway ticket offices.

Theresa Villiers: Sir Roy McNulty's rail value for money study recommended that ticket office staffing levels be considered as a measure which would deliver savings. The Department for Transport is currently considering Sir Roy's report, but no decisions have yet been made.

Railways: York

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the (a) open full, (b) average and (c) lowest advance purchase fare available to the general public was for rail travel between York and London in (i) 2009-10 and (ii) the latest period for which figures are available, expressed in (A) cash and (B) real terms.

Theresa Villiers: The information requested is set out as follows.
	
		
			 £ 
			 Fare type 2010 2011 
			 Advance single 10 10.45 
			 Anytime return 223 239 
			 Super off peak return 83.70 88.60 
			 Off peak return Grand Central only 61 75 
		
	
	Typically over 75% of long distance rail journeys such as York to London are made using discounted tickets. Under 20% of these longer journeys are made using anytime return tickets. The super off peak return between York and London is a regulated fare. The full list and present prices of all these fares is available on the National Rail Enquiries website.

Roads: Repairs and Maintenance

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he is taking to make utilities more accountable for interruptions to traffic attributable to their streetworks.

Norman Baker: holding answer 15 September 2011
	The Department is committed to reducing the disruption caused by street works and is proposing to increase overrun charges which are levied by highway authorities when street works take too long.
	In addition to this, a consultation is under way on regulations to enable the introduction of lane rental schemes (where utilities would have to pay each day they occupy the highway).

South East Airports Taskforce

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 14 July 2011, Official Report, column 55WS, on the South East Airports Taskforce, what recent discussions he has had with BAA on its consultation plans with relevant local authorities, communities and other stakeholders throughout the process.

Theresa Villiers: The Secretary of State for Transport, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), has not had discussions with BAA on its consultation plans with relevant local authorities, communities and other stakeholders.
	I have discussed BAA's plans for engagement with local communities and stakeholders with them as part of the work of the South East Airports Taskforce and related meetings.
	I have asked the UK's independent aviation regulator, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to supervise the trial of operational freedoms at Heathrow and to report regularly on progress.

South East Airports Taskforce

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 14 July 2011, Official Report, column 55WS, on the South East Airports Taskforce, 
	(1)  when he plans to define the trigger mechanisms for the deployment of operational freedoms at Heathrow Airport;
	(2)  when he plans to define the safeguards to apply in relation to the deployment of operational freedoms at Heathrow Airport;
	(3)  what definition of particular disruption his Department uses;
	(4)  what his policy is on a cap on the number of operational freedom days at Heathrow Airport.

Theresa Villiers: The trial of operational freedoms at Heathrow, which I announced on 14 July 2011, is currently being designed by the airport operator, BAA, under the supervision of the Civil Aviation Authority. BAA will engage with relevant local authorities, communities and stakeholders on the details of the trial once this process is complete.
	The results of the trial will help define the circumstances in which the measures are deployed, including the requirement for safeguards and restrictions if the regime were to proceed beyond the trial stage to be adopted on a long term basis. The results will also form the basis for a consultation with local communities which will in due course inform the Government in deciding whether an operational freedoms regime should be adopted at the airport.

Thameslink Railway Line: Rolling Stock

Julie Hilling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many carriages will be delivered by the Thameslink programme in each year of the programme.

Theresa Villiers: The Department is currently conducting commercial discussions with Siemens Plc and Cross London Trains, and the precise numbers of carriages and their rate of delivery will remain under negotiation as the contract moves towards financial close.

Thameslink Railway Line: Rolling Stock

Margaret Beckett: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 18 July 2011, Official Report, column 718W, on Thameslink railway line: rolling stock, on what dates he received information from officials in his Department on the status of the procurement for the Thameslink Rolling Stock Project.

Theresa Villiers: The Secretary of State for Transport, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), has been kept informed of the status of the Thameslink rolling stock procurement on an ongoing basis.

Thameslink Railway Line: Rolling Stock

Chris Williamson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will place in the Library a copy of correspondence between his Department and the Prime Minister's Office on the Thameslink Rolling Stock contract which took place in (a) May, (b) June and (c) July 2011.

Theresa Villiers: holding answer 15 September 2011
	The Department has received a request under the Freedom of Information Act to release the same correspondence. Any documentation released in response to this request will be published on the Department for Transport website.

Thameslink Railway Line: Rolling Stock

Chris Williamson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will place in the Library a copy of each item of legal advice sought and received by his Department in respect of the review of the Thameslink Rolling Stock Contract project during (a) May, (b) June and (c) July 2011.

Theresa Villiers: Communications between the Secretary of State for Transport, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), and his legal advisers are subject to legal advice privilege.

Thameslink Railway Line: Rolling Stock

Chris Williamson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  if he will place in the Library a copy of the note of each meeting between Ministers and officials of his Department and representatives of (a) Siemens and (b) Bombardier in respect of the Thameslink Rolling Stock contract in (i) May, (ii) June and (iii) July 2011;
	(2)  if he will place in the Library a copy of each (a) e-mail sent by and (b) document generated by officials in (i) his private office and (ii) the (A) rail and (B) legal sections of his Department which include the term Siemens and one or more of the words (1) TUPE, (2) TSSA, (3) RMT and (4) trade union;
	(3)  if he will place in the Library a copy of each (a) document and (b) e-mail held by his Department concerning the Thameslink Rolling Stock contract in which mention is made of comparisons between bids in relation to the impact of train weight on (i) track access charges and (ii) energy consumption and (c) the financial consequences for the project of the weight of the trains under consideration.

Theresa Villiers: Details of bids for the Thameslink rolling stock project are confidential to Siemens, Bombardier and the Department. To release this information could compromise their and the Department's commercial positions.

Thameslink Railway Line: Rolling Stock

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his Department plans to spend on rail procurement consultants in (a) 2011, (b) 2012 and (c) 2013; and how much his Department expects to spend on consultants for the (i) Thameslink Rolling Stock programme and (ii) Intercity Express Programme.

Theresa Villiers: During the 2011-12 financial year, the Department for Transport plans to spend around £630,500 on procurement consultants for rail projects.
	During the 2011-12 financial year, planned spend on consultants on the Thameslink Rolling Stock project is £7.3 million and on the Intercity Express Programme is £4.5 million.
	Detailed spending plans for 2012 and 2013 have not yet been agreed.

Tilbury Town Station

Jackie Doyle-Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects work to commence at Tilbury Town station under the Access for All scheme.

Norman Baker: Network Rail currently plan to start on site at Tilbury Town during October this year with the work expected to last approximately seven months.

Transport Scotland

Margaret Beckett: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when (a) he and (b) other representatives of his Department last met representatives of Transport Scotland.

Michael Penning: The Secretary of State for Transport, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), has had a number of telephone conversations with Scottish Transport Ministers. The Minister of State, Department for Transport, my right hon. Friend the Member for Chipping Barnet (Mrs Villiers), met with the Scottish Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change, Stewart Stevenson MSP, on 4 November 2010 and met the Scottish Housing and Transport Minister Keith Brown MSP on 6 September. I met Stewart Stevenson MSP on 26 October 2010 in his office in Holyrood. I have had a number of telephone conversations with Scottish Transport Ministers.
	Many DFT officials have regular contact with their counterparts in Transport Scotland and other branches of Scottish Government dealing with transport issues. Officials take every opportunity to ensure that relationships between the two Departments are developed and understanding shared.

Transport: York

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much local transport grant his Department has allocated to the city of York unitary council in each year since its creation; and what criteria are used to determine the grant allocated to each local authority.

Norman Baker: The Department for Transport has two funding streams that are provided to all local authorities in England (outside London) allocated by formula. These are integrated transport block and highways maintenance block, the funding is not ring-fenced. Funding allocated to the city of York for the financial years which the Department has retained accounting records are as follows:
	
		
			 £ million 
			  Integrated transport block Highways maintenance block 
			 2000-01 1.550 0.712 
			 2001-02 4.900 1.095 
			 2002-03 5.000 1.155 
			 2003-04 6.600 1.281 
			 2004-05 4.840 1.462 
			 2005-06 4.900 1.325 
			 2006-07 4.478 1.386 
			 2007-08 4.141 1.419 
			 2008-09 3.737 1.379 
			 2009-10 3.374 1.482 
			 2010-11(1) 2.240 1.605 
			 2011-12 1.549 1.865 
			 2012-13(2) 1.652 1.790 
			 (1 )Post savings exercise. (2) The December 2010 settlement announced firm figures for 2011-12 and 2012-13 and indicative figures for 2013-14 and 2014-15. 
		
	
	Prior to 2000 the funding was provided in the form of gross approved spending and funding allocated to the city of York for the financial years which the Department has retained accounting records are as follows:
	
		
			 Total pre Local Transport Plan Funding Integrated Transport Block 
			  £ million 
			 1997-98 2.212 
			 1998-99 1.127 
			 1999-2000 1.983 
		
	
	The current formulae explanatory notes and raw data and allocations are on the Department's Local Transport Capital Block Funding webpage at the following link:
	http://www.dft.gov.uk/publications/local-transport-capital-block-funding/

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency: Finance

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the effect of a reduction in resources for Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency regional centres on the readiness of the UK to deal with outbreaks of animal disease.

James Paice: The Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency (AHVLA) and its delivery partners retain their readiness to respond effectively to outbreaks of animal disease. Readiness and resilience is reviewed regularly and the impact of the current reduction in the AHVLA resources is considered to be very low. DEFRA's plans for responding to outbreaks of animal disease are contained in DEFRA's Contingency Plan for Exotic Notifiable Diseases of Animals:
	http://www.defra.gov.uk/publications/files/pb13581-animal-disease-plan-110701.pdf

Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency: Finance

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what financial support her Department will provide to the Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency for its regional centres in each of the next four financial years;
	(2)  how many Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency regional centres will be funded by her Department in each of the next four financial years.

James Paice: As the Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency is a net running cost agency, it is funded through service level agreements (SLAs) with the devolved Governments. The agency's financial support is acquired by delivering the services agreed in the SLAs. Support for the regional centres is not directly given by DEFRA, which only provides finances for services provided.

Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency: Finance

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the effect on testing for bovine tuberculosis of a reduction in resources for Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency regional centres.

James Paice: Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency (AHVLA) staff carry out a small proportion of bovine TB testing in house each year. The majority of the testing programme is carried out by a pool of private veterinary practices authorised by AHVLA to carry out the testing. The TB testing programme is agreed with DEFRA and devolved Administrations each year and AHVLA do not foresee any change to the agreed programme of testing at present and have no current plans to reduce veterinary officer or lay testing resources in regional offices.

Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency: Redundancy

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has made of the number of compulsory redundancies in each Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency regional centre in each of the next four financial years.

James Paice: The Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency (AHVLA) has only planned changes taking place in the next two financial years.
	The proposed changes aim to reduce the numbers in its Laboratories and Regional Offices by 87 in 2011-12 and 52 in 2012-13. The number of compulsory redundancies will be significantly lower than 87 in 2011-12 and 52 in 2012-13 because the AHVLA expects a large proportion of employees to leave on voluntary release, as the terms for doing so are more favourable than leaving under eventual compulsory terms and the AHVLA will also seek to redeploy staff wherever possible. The 2012-13 figures are an estimate and have not been finalised.

Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency: Redundancy

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much redundancies in Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency regional centres will cost in each of the next four financial years.

James Paice: The Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency (AHVLA) has only planned changes taking place in the next two financial years.
	The maximum estimated cost of the Laboratory and Regional Office releases in 2011-12 is £3,021,000. It is our intention that this figure will be reduced as staff are redeployed within the civil service.
	The estimated cost of the Laboratory and Regional Office releases in 2012-13 is £1,656,000. This figure is an estimate and has not yet been finalised.

Animal Welfare

Andrew Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions she has had with her EU counterparts on the development of animal health legislation.

James Paice: We continue to have regular discussions on a number of welfare issues with our European colleagues. As an example both the sow stall ban and the conventional laying hen cage ban were discussed at my recent bilaterals in Sweden and Denmark at which Ministers affirmed the importance of adhering to standards set at EU level.

Biofuels: Grasslands

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her Department's policy is on the application of the EU Renewable Energy Directive to the production of biofuels crops on grasslands.

Norman Baker: I have been asked to reply.
	The Department for Transport plans to transpose the sustainability requirements of the Renewable Energy Directive (RED) from 15 December this year through amendments to the Renewable Transport Fuel, Obligation (RTFO). The RED does not allow the use of biofuels from feedstocks to contribute towards targets or benefit from incentives unless a 35% greenhouse gas saving compared with fossil fuels is achieved, including emissions resulting from any conversion of grassland. The Department will consult shortly on detailed guidelines for suppliers on how to demonstrate that their fuels meet these requirements.

Bovine Tuberculosis

Stephen Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she plans to take to comply with the Bern Convention in implementing the badger cull.

James Paice: We have considered the provisions of the Bern convention and are confident that our proposed policy complies with the requirements. The proposed policy contains a number of safeguards to ensure that culling does not lead to a detrimental impact on local badger populations. These include having a 'closed season' over the badgers' breeding season during which no culling can take place, and limiting both the number of licences that may be granted in any one year and the number of badgers that may be removed in each licensed area. DEFRA will also commission independent monitoring that will assess annually badger activity in each licensed area. If badger activity is found to be very low, mitigation measures can be put in place to ensure there is no local disappearance in any licensed area (eg stopping activity under the licence for the remainder of that year, or stipulating areas of land where culling would not be permitted).

Bovine Tuberculosis

Stephen Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to her oral statement of 19 July 2011, Official Report, columns 811-24, on bovine tuberculosis, what mechanism she plans to use to derive culling targets.

James Paice: There is a range of data already available on badger populations from both national and local surveys. In addition to these sources of information, applicants for culling licences would be required to provide Natural England with information regarding the number of main setts on the land which forms part of the application. From these, Natural England will be able to advise applicants on the estimated range of the number of badgers they would be expected to remove during the six-week intensive cull.

Bovine Tuberculosis: Disease Control

Angela Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what investigations her Department has undertaken into the use of cattle ear tags to evade bovine TB controls.

James Paice: DEFRA has not initiated any such investigations. However, we have supported some TB-related slaughterhouse surveys carried out by a small number of Trading Standards teams in 2010 and 2011. The surveys provided evidence that a small minority of farmers had been swapping official cattle ID ear tags so that they could retain TB reactors and send other less valuable cattle to slaughter in their place. It was because of these findings that we introduced in April 2011 an additional safeguard—DNA tags applied to TB test positive cattle—to ensure infected animals are not kept on farms.

Dairy Farming

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent assessment her Department has made of the financial viability of (a) intensive indoor dairy farms and (b) pasture-based dairy farming methods.

James Paice: No such assessment has been made. However we are currently considering how to best move forward research in the area of best practice for large scale dairying following a call for tenders in spring 2011 which resulted in none of the bids fully meeting the Department's thorough evidence requirements.
	The Government believe that there is a place in UK agriculture for both sustainable intensification and more traditional production, so that the industry can meet varied consumer demands and be competitive on UK, EU and global markets.
	We welcome innovative and entrepreneurial efforts by farmers to improve their global competitiveness, while protecting the environment and meeting animal welfare standards.

Dangerous Dogs

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she is taking to improve measures to tackle dangerous dogs.

James Paice: An announcement about the Government's approach to irresponsible dog ownership and dangerous dogs will be made shortly.

Dogs: Tagging

Justin Tomlinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her policy is on dog-breeders microchipping all their animals; and if she will make a statement.

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make it her policy that microchipping of domestic dogs and cats be made compulsory.

James Paice: The Government recommends all owners and breeders microchip their dogs. Microchipping is one of a number of options currently being considered by DEFRA in relation to improving animal welfare and helping to tackle irresponsible dog ownership.

Equine Animals

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make it her policy to ban the hot branding of equine animals.

James Paice: Hot branding, like freeze branding, of horses is exempt under The Mutilations (Permitted Procedures) (England) Regulations 2007 from the general prohibition on mutilations under the Animal Welfare Act 2006.
	I understand that some people consider that hot branding should be prohibited. The reason for the exemption is that there are instances where ponies are left to remain in a semi-feral existence and do not react well to handling, such as on Dartmoor, New Forest and Exmoor. In these circumstances it is better to be able to read the identification mark externally rather than to scan the animal which would involve handling it and causing distress. We realise that the pony would need to be handled when it is branded and at certain other occasions but these are kept to a minimum and when it is necessary.
	Most horses are required to be microchipped for horse passport purposes and so there is less of a need to also hot brand them.

Farming

Guto Bebb: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Thirsk and Malton of 23 May 2011, Official Report, column 371W, on farming, what steps she is taking to implement the recommendations of the Foresight Report in respect of ensuring more stable food prices.

James Paice: We are working to secure liberalisation of international trade which, as the Foresight project on the Future of Food and Farming states, will help dampen price volatility by allowing a production shock in one region to be more easily compensated for by output and trade adjustments in others.
	As part of this work, in June 2011, the UK secured a number of significant results in the final text of the “Action Plan on food price volatility and agriculture”, which was agreed at the G20 Agriculture Ministers' meeting.
	The plan represents the first steps towards a clear and positive response to the challenges highlighted in the Foresight report and, if implemented quickly, will go some way towards creating a more predictable world for food producers and consumers in both developed and developing countries.
	The plan recognises that market fundamentals—supply and demand—are the key causes of price volatility in wheat, corn, maize and soya and that both increasing production sustainably and reducing shocks to supply such as those caused when policymakers respond to poor quality information, are the means to ensure a healthier relationship of supply to rising demand. During discussion of the plan, we emphasised the need to trade openly and remove distorting measures, and that export bans in particular should not impede calls for humanitarian aid.
	We have established an Agricultural Market Information System (AMIS) to improve market information and transparency in order to encourage major players on the agri-food markets to share data, enhance existing information systems, promote greater shared understanding of food price developments, and to further policy dialogue and cooperation. The G20 countries committed to disclose reliable, quality, accurate and timely data for this initiative. The first meeting of AMIS will take place in Rome on 15 and 16 September.
	We also agreed to establish a senior officials' group to act as a "Rapid Response Forum", to share views and plans for immediate actions in order to prevent or mitigate world food price crises. Taken together with the improvement in market information which we anticipate that AMIS will bring, this improved coordination should reduce the extent to which G20 members are themselves the source of avoidable supply shocks in future, as happens for example when panic buying takes place or export restrictions are imposed.
	The plan will now be submitted to the G20 summit in November 2011.

Food

Ian Murray: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent assessment she has made of the effect of financial speculation in commodity derivative markets on food security; and if she will make a statement.

James Paice: Following the 2007-08 Agricultural Price Spike, the then Government conducted a review to analyse potential causes of price spikes, including the role of financial speculation. This review of the various potential mechanisms, whereby speculation may distort markets, found no evidence of speculation having a significant role in increasing the volatility of food prices. With factors including export restrictions, stock levels, global energy prices and damaged harvests, being the immediate causes of price spikes. The review also identifies the potential benefits of speculation to agricultural markets.
	The Government agree with the findings of the review.

Forests: Water

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will discuss with her counterparts in (a) South Africa and (b) Colombia the effects on levels of forestation and water security of proposed developments.

James Paice: The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Meriden (Mrs Spelman), will be discussing these issues inter alia with her international colleagues, including South Africa and Colombia, in the context of the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) which will be held in Rio from 4 to 6 June 2012. Furthermore, Lord Henley took part in the ministerial roundtable on Forest and Landscape Restoration, in Bonn, on 2 September and I participated in the ‘Forests Indonesia’ conference on 27 September.

Land: Registration

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much revenue her Department expects to raise from the proposed introduction of charges for the registration of land as a town or village green in each of the next four financial years.

Richard Benyon: None. In our "Consultation on the registration of new town or village greens", we propose that the fee imposed on an application to register a new green would be received by the local authority to which the application is made. The fee would typically represent only a small proportion of the costs of processing an application and our proposal includes an option to refund the fee to a successful applicant.

Land: Registration

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what information her Department holds on the number of applications made for the registration of land as a town or village green in each of the last four years by (a) parliamentary constituency and (b) local authority area.

Richard Benyon: DEFRA does not hold data for 2010 and 2011, nor complete year data for 2009. DEFRA expects to conduct a survey of commons registration authorities later this year, and will publish the results on the Department's website.
	The following figures are based on a 43% response to a survey of authorities undertaken in 2009 which was used to estimate activity for England as a whole.
	
		
			  Estimated number of applications 
			 2007 143 
			 2008 196 
			 2009(1) 139 
			 (1 )Until September. 
		
	
	The following figures are attributable to the authorities responding to the survey: no figures are held for authorities not identified in the following table and no conclusions can be drawn from their omission. DEFRA does not hold data by parliamentary constituency.
	
		
			 Name of registration authority 2007 2008 2009  (1) 
			 Bexley council 0 1 0 
			 Birmingham city council 2 2 2 
			 Blackburn with Darwen borough council 0 0 0 
			 Blackpool borough council 0 0 0 
			 Bolton council 0 0 0 
			 Bracknell Forest borough council 0 0 0 
			 Bradford (City of) metropolitan district council 0 2 1 
			 Brighton and Hove city council 0 0 1 
			 Buckinghamshire county council 4 4 3 
			 Cambridgeshire county council 2 3 2 
			 Cheshire East borough council 0 0 2 
			 Cheshire West and Chester council 1 1 1 
			 Cornwall council 1 6 2 
			 Cumbria county council 3 6 2 
			 Derbyshire county council 4 9 3 
			 Dorset county council 0 3 3 
			 East Riding of Yorkshire council 1 0 0 
			 East Sussex county council 4 4 0 
			 Gateshead council 0 0 0 
			 Gloucestershire county council 3 2 3 
			 Halton borough council 1 0 0 
			 Hampshire county council 7 7 3 
			 Harrow council 0 1 1 
			 Hartlepool borough council 0 2 0 
			 Hertfordshire county council 3 3 3 
			 Kent county council 5 7 8 
			 Kirklees council 0 0 0 
			 Lancashire county council 5 3 5 
		
	
	
		
			 Leicester city council 0 0 0 
			 Leicestershire county council 2 1 0 
			 Lincolnshire county council 4 1 2 
			 Liverpool city council 2 2 1 
			 London borough of Enfield 0 0 1 
			 London borough of Hammersmith and Fulham 0 0 0 
			 London borough of Newham 0 0 0 
			 London borough of Sutton 0 0 0 
			 London borough of Tower Hamlets 0 0 0 
			 London borough of Waltham Forest 0 0 0 
			 Norfolk county council 2 4 5 
			 North East Lincolnshire borough council 0 0 0 
			 North Lincolnshire council 1 0 0 
			 North Somerset council 0 0 0 
			 North Yorkshire county council 7 7 3 
			 Northumberland county council 2 4 2 
			 Nottinghamshire county council 1 2 1 
			 Oldham metropolitan borough council 1 1 0 
			 Plymouth city council 0 0 0 
			 Portsmouth city council 0 0 1 
			 Rochdale borough council 0 0 0 
			 Royal borough of Kingston upon Thames 0 1 0 
			 Royal borough of Windsor and Maidenhead 0 0 1 
			 Rutland county council 0 0 0 
			 Salford city council 0 0 0 
			 Sefton metropolitan borough council 0 0 1 
			 Slough borough council 0 0 1 
			 Somerset county council 2 3 4 
			 South Gloucestershire council 2 0 0 
			 South Tyneside metropolitan borough council 1 0 0 
			 St Helens metropolitan borough council 0 0 0 
			 Suffolk county council 3 5 5 
			 Wakefield council 0 4 0 
			 Walsall council 0 0 0 
			 West Berkshire district council 1 0 1 
			 West Sussex county council 0 2 0 
			 Wiltshire council 1 1 1 
			 York (City of) council 2 1 0 
			 Total 80 105 75 
			 (1 )Until September.

Materials

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 11 August 2011, Official Report, column 1173W, on materials, what timetable she has set for the development of the action plan on resource security.

James Paice: DEFRA's business plan commits to publishing the Action Plan on Resource Security by the end of February 2012.

National Planning Policy Framework

Jack Dromey: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many officials in her Department worked on the draft of the national planning policy framework produced by the practitioners' advisory group.

Richard Benyon: I am not aware of any having done so.

Ouse Washes

Stephen Barclay: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what assessment her Department has made of the other habitat creation projects in the fens in consideration of the need for the Ouse Washes habitat creation scheme;
	(2)  whether her Department sought legal advice prior to reaching the conclusion that wet grassland habitat creation was required at the Ouse Washes; and if she will place a copy of any such advice in the Library;
	(3)  what assessment her Department has made of the minimum size of development for the Ouse Washes habitat creation scheme to satisfy its obligations under the European Birds and Habitats Directive.

Richard Benyon: In the Project Appraisal Report for the Ouse Washes Habitat Creation project (OWHCP), it was recognised that the 1,008 hectare habitat requirement under the Birds and Habitats Directives would not necessarily be met by the OWHCP alone. It states that
	‘there is the potential for the sites to be expanded at a later date by other organisations and not part of this project’
	(PAR section 2.7.4). Thus there is a role for third party habitat creation sites within the Fens in addition to the minimum to be delivered under the OWHCP. However, those currently planned or under way are not necessarily in the most appropriate location, of sufficient extent or habitat type suitable for the target bird species that are associated with habitat loss since the 1970s.
	The Secretary of State considered the legal implications of the Habitats Directive in consultation with other members of the Ouse Washes Steering Group. The document “Key principles of the EC Wild Birds and Habitats Directives as they relate to the Ouse Washes” was circulated to that group in the course of consultation. It sets out the conclusion that alternative habitat needed to be provided; a copy has been placed in the Library of the House.
	The Ouse Washes Steering Group assessed the amount of compensatory habitat required under the Birds and Habitats Directives as 1,008 hectares in the appraisal document “Assessment of Avian Functional Loss Attributed to Changing Flood Patterns on the Ouse Washes”; a copy has been placed in the Library of the House. The Project Appraisal Report for the Ouse Washes Habitat Creation project included three options to deliver this full habitat extent, together with a fourth option of delivering a smaller total of 500 hectares. The Project Appraisal Report concluded the project 'minimum success criteria' should be 500 hectares of new habitat, which is the option now being delivered.

Slaughterhouses: CCTV

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will amend the Welfare of Animals (Slaughter or Killing) Regulations 1995 to make CCTV mandatory in all slaughterhouses; and if she will make a statement.

James Paice: holding answer 15 September 2011
	We are looking into everything that we can do to clamp down on breaches of the law, including the possibility of making CCTV compulsory in slaughterhouses in future.

Sugar Beet

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make an assessment of the effects of ending EU production quotas in 2016 on (a) the price of sugar beet and (b) importation levels of sugar into the UK.

James Paice: The current EU beet production quota system is due to expire in 2015. We await formal publication in mid-October of European Commission proposals for reform of the CAP. We expect these proposals to cover sugar and to be accompanied by an impact assessment.

Wildlife: Circuses

Justin Tomlinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she plans to take in response to the Resolution of the House of 23 June 2011 on wild animals in circuses.

James Paice: The Government have listened to the view of the House and are sympathetic to the motion for a ban. We will continue to look carefully at how this could be introduced, but there are unavoidable legal difficulties that cannot be ignored.
	The Government have received legal advice that if the Government were to introduce a ban now, it could be challenged in both British and European courts. While we are working towards overcoming these legal obstacles, Ministers will proceed with a very tough licensing regime which will stop circuses from using these wild animals if they do not provide very high welfare standards.
	As it would ultimately be taxpayers who would foot the bill for defending a legal challenge, the Government have to verify the legal status of any policy before going ahead as well as listening to the views expressed in the House of Commons debate. Accordingly, work is under way to resolve the legal uncertainties which currently make it difficult to impose a ban as expressed in the Commons resolution.

Wildlife: Circuses

Nicholas Dakin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 20 July 2011, Official Report, column 1085W, on wildlife: circuses, what legal difficulties are present in relation to the implementation of a ban on the use of wild animals in circuses; and whether she plans to introduce a licensing scheme for the use of wild animals in circuses as an interim measure prior to implementing a ban.

James Paice: As I have previously said in the House, on the legal difficulties, we consider that a ban on the use of wild animals in circuses may well conflict with:
	(i) article 16 of the European Services Directive 2006; and
	(ii) article 1 protocol 1 of the European convention on human rights, which was given further effect by the Human Rights Act 1998 and sets out the conditions which must be met by a state which seeks to restrict or control the use a person may make of his own property.
	We are continuing to explore ways of overcoming such legal obstacles. However, given that a ban is not an immediate possibility, work is under way to develop a licensing regime that will stop circuses from using wild animals unless they provide appropriate welfare standards.

HEALTH

Diabetes: Children

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the number of children aged under 16 who were diagnosed with (a) type one and (b) type two diabetes in the Bexley Primary Care Trust area in the most recent year for which figures are available.

Paul Burstow: Data from the National Diabetes Audit show that 89 children under the age of 16 were diagnosed with type one diabetes and fewer than five children under the age of 16 were diagnosed with type two diabetes in the Bexley Primary Care Trust area during 2009-10.
	However, participation in the National Diabetes Audit is not mandatory and we understand that not every general practitioner practice in the Bexley Primary Care Trust area participated.

Mental Health Services

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what assessment his Department has made of the (a) efficacy and (b) cost of mindfulness-based therapies in treating (a) attention deficit disorder, (b) hyperactivity and (c) other mental health conditions;
	(2)  what assessment his Department has made of the (a) efficacy and (b) cost of the use of (i) anti depressant drugs and (ii) mindfulness-based stress reduction therapy and mindfulness-based cognitive behaviour therapy;
	(3)  how many NHS patients received (a) counselling therapy, (b) drug therapy and (c) mindfulness-based stress reduction therapy in (i) 1990, (ii) 2000 and (iii) 2010;
	(4)  how much the Government spent on research into (a) anti depressant drug treatment and (b) mindfulness-based stress reduction therapy in the latest period for which figures are available;
	(5)  how much the NHS spent on (a) anti depressant drugs and (b) mindfulness-based stress reduction therapy in each year for which data are available;
	(6)  how many NHS staff were qualified to treat patients with mindfulness-based stress reduction therapy in each of the last three years;
	(7)  what research there has been on the efficacy of mindfulness-based therapies in the treatment of (a) stress, (b) depression and (c) other mental health conditions in the last five years; and which organisation conducted each such research project.

Paul Burstow: Mindfulness cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is not available within all Improving Access to Psychological Therapy services. However, East Midlands Strategic Health Authority (SHA) has invested in training and supervision of CBT practitioners in Mindfulness and South West SHA are planning to begin training and supervision later this year.
	Information on numbers of patients who have received counselling therapy, drug therapy and mindfulness-based stress reduction therapy is not collected.
	In 2010-11, the Department's National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) spent £3.2 million on directly-funded research relating to anti depressant drug therapy, and £0.5 million on directly-funded research relating to mindfulness-based stress reduction and mindfulness-based cognitive therapy.
	Research projects and research training awards directly funded by the NIHR in the last five years relating to mindfulness-based therapies are listed in the following table:
	
		
			 Title Start date End date Institution 
			 A qualitative synthesis of patient experiences of mindfulness-based interventions followed by a feasibility study of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and/or asthma and co-morbid symptoms of anxiety and/or depression 1 November 2009 31 October 2012 University of Bristol 
			 Preventing depressive relapse in NHS practice through mindfulness-based cognitive therapy 1 January 2010 31 March 2014 University of Exeter 
			 A qualitative (feasibility) study of mindfulness-based stress reduction for the treatment of fatigue, anxiety and depression in women with metastatic breast cancer 14 June 2010 13 December 2012 University of Southampton 
		
	
	Details of studies hosted by the NIHR Clinical Research Network, including some relating to mindfulness-based therapies can be found on the UK Clinical Research Network portfolio database at:
	http://public.ukcrn.org.uk/search
	Prior to the establishment of the NIHR in April 2006, the main part of the Department's total health research expenditure was devolved to and managed by national health service organisations. From April 2006 to March 2009, transitional research funding was allocated to these organisations at reducing levels. Records of individual NHS-supported research projects collected up to September 2007, including some relating to mindfulness-based therapies are available on the archived national research register (NRR) at:
	www.nihr.ac.uk/Pages/NRRArchiveSearch.aspx
	Information on how numbers of NHS staff qualified to treat patients with mindfulness-based stress reduction therapy is not available.
	Information on NHS expenditure on anti depressant drugs is shown in the following table:
	
		
			 Estimated expenditure on anti-depressant drugs by the NHS in England, 2001-10 
			 £000 
			  Community  (1, 2, 3) Hospital  (4, 5) Total  (6) 
			 2001 341,661 16,451 358,112 
			 2002 380,883 17,870 398,753 
			 2003 395,178 .18,519 413,697 
			 2004 400,682 17,920 418,602 
			 2005 338,547 14,454 353,001 
			 2006 291,511 11,844 303,355 
			 2007 276,108 10,285 286,393 
			 2008 247,355 8,990 256,345 
			 2009 230,063 7,813 237,876 
			 2010 220,373 6,541 226,914 
			 (1) Data are available for the cost for prescriptions dispensed in the community in England from 1991 (and see note 4). (2 )Figures represent the number of anti depressant prescription items written in the UK and dispensed in the community in England. (3 )Prescription data classify anti depressant medication under British National Formulary section 4.3. (4) Hospital data are available only from the NHS Information Centre from mid-2000. (5 )The hospital data are not a direct measure of cost and are likely to over-estimate the true cost. Hospital trusts may be able to access discounts not available in primary care and these discounts have not been included in the estimated figures. 6 The medicine flupentixol is used for both depression and psychosis but is classified differently in prescription data and hospital data. Prescription data classify Fluanxol under depression and all other forms under anti-psychosis; hospital data classify all use under treatment of psychosis. In the table, any cases where the brand name Fluanxol appears are included but cases where only the chemical name has been used, and it is not possible to determine for which purpose the drug has been used, have been excluded. Sources:  (1) Community—Prescription Cost Analysis (PCA) system. (2) Hospital—Hospital Pharmacy Audit Index, national estimate from sample data.

Mental Health: Children

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information he holds on the incidence of (a) self harming, (b) eating disorders and (c) mental illness among (i) boys and (ii) girls in each of the last five years.

Paul Burstow: The Department does not collect this information but a number of reports have been published by other organisations.
	For example, the “Mental Health of Children and Adolescents in Great Britain, 2004” (Office of National Statistics) reported that 9.6% of children aged five to 16 years had a clinically recognisable mental disorder. Of these: 5.8% had a conduct disorder; 3.7% had emotional disorders (anxiety and depression), 1.5% had hyperkinetic (hyperactive) disorders and 0.3% had eating disorders The same survey showed that among children aged five to 10 years 10.2% of boys and 5.1% of girls had a clinically recognisable mental disorder. In the older age group, 11 to 16-year-olds, 12.6% of boys and 10.3% of girls had a clinically recognisable mental disorder.
	Information on the number of children that self harm is difficult to collect as often they do not tell others or seek medical assistance. “Children and adolescents who try to harm, hurt or kill themselves” (ONS, 2001) reported that around 1.3% of five to 10-year-olds had ever tried to harm, hurt or kill themselves. Higher proportions were found among boys than girls (1.7% and 0.9%) and 8 to 10-year-olds had twice the rate of five to seven-year-olds (1.7% and 0.9%). The lowest rate, 0.4% was found among five to seven-year-old girls rising to the highest rate of 2.1% of eight to 10-year-old boys. Other reports, including “Truth Hurts—Report of the National Inquiry into Self-Harm among Young People” (The Camelot Foundation and Mental Health Foundation, 2006) which indicated a prevalence rate of between one in 12 (8.3%) and one in 15 (6.7%) across the United Kingdom for young people, aged 15 to 25, report higher prevalence rates.

Mental Health: Older People

Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance his Department provides to local authorities on steps to reduce isolation, loneliness and fear amongst people in later life.

Paul Burstow: The Department has not issued any specific guidance to local authorities in relation to reducing isolation, loneliness and fear among older people. However, the Department is seeking to collect data around social participation through the 2011-12 Adult Social Care Outcomes Framework indicator, which focuses on enhancing the quality of life for people with care and support needs including older people.
	In addition, the Department's national evaluation of Partnerships for Older People Projects informed councils about the benefits that small services such as providing practical help and emotional support could positively affect the health and well-being of older people.

Pancreatic Cancer

Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to improve survival rates amongst those suffering from pancreatic cancer.

Paul Burstow: ‘Improving Outcomes: A Strategy for Cancer’, published on 12 January, sets out a range of measures to improve cancer survival rates in England. It shows how we intend to tackle preventable cancer incidence, improve the quality and efficiency of cancer services and deliver outcomes that are comparable with the best in Europe. The strategy sets out an ambition to save at least an additional 5,000 lives every year by 2014-15 through earlier diagnosis of cancer and improved access to screening and radiotherapy. To support earlier diagnosis of cancer the Government have committed over £450 million over the next four years.
	‘Improving Outcomes in Upper Gastro-intestinal Cancers’, published in 2001, makes recommendations on the treatment, management and care of patients with upper gastro-intestinal cancers including pancreatic cancer. The Cancer Outcomes Strategy makes it clear that the improving outcomes in cancer guidance (IOG), published by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, will continue to be a feature of all commissioned cancer services.
	The strategy also sets out our commitment to work with a number of rarer cancer-focused charities to assess what more can be done to encourage appropriate referrals to secondary care for earlier diagnosis. Departmental officials have already met with a number of these charities, including a pancreatic cancer charity, with the aim of identifying some of the barriers to early diagnosis and to discuss potential solutions. This will inform our future work in this area.

Patient Choice Schemes

Neil Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Health to what extent GPs will be able to adopt and/or develop Choose and Book procedures following the implementation of the provisions of the Health and Social Care Bill.

Simon Burns: General practitioners (GPs) can already fully adopt any and all Choose and Book procedures to support the way patient referrals are managed. All GPs in the national health service in England have free access to Choose and Book and around 30,000 referrals are processed through this system each day.
	Choose and Book has the capability to support the provisions of the Health and Social Care Bill and practising GPs and consultants work within the Choose and Book Programme team to ensure Choose and Book supports clinicians' needs and addresses any issues they may have over the adoption or development of the system.